36 · SPEC Kit 296
“First the client contacts General Reference. If the question can’t be answered, then it is transferred to the
specialists. It could be a telephone conversation or the Reference Specialist and recommend or arranged an
appointment. For the written request, they may go directly to a specialist or the query may be transferred to
them by the Triage team in Reference Services area.”
“For on-site queries, the reader sees the support staff/reception staff for basic service and is then referred
to the reference librarian on duty, as needed (most issues beyond known item request), and may be further
referred (by appointment) to a specialist, if the person on reference duty is not that specialist.”
“From reading Room Supervisor to available staff to Specialist Curator for special and complex questions.”
“In-person researchers are first greeted by a member of the support staff who makes sure they are in the
correct reading room, checks their ID, and introduces them to the guidelines for using the collections. The
researcher is then interviewed, either by the support staff (up until it is clear that the individual needs
specialized assistance, at which point they are referred to a curator/reference specialist) or a reference
librarian. The researcher is guided to the use of online resources, card catalogs, and original collections. The
process is generally highly interactive and iterative as researchers progress through their research. Either
librarians or support staff assist in handling objects, screening materials for photocopying and preparing
photoduplication requests. E-mail and Web form requests from off-site researchers are initially sorted by
support staff and then answered by librarians or support staff, depending upon the level of complexity of
the request. Both librarians and support staff provide telephone guidance in understanding the scope of
the collections, use of online resources available remotely, and responding to photoduplication and rights
questions.”
“Initial contact is often made by a graduate student assistant (GSA) at the front reading room desk. The GSA
also often handles registration. The Assistant Curator is physically located in the reading room and will become
involved in many reference questions, if they are beyond the very basic level. The Curator’s office is located
right off of the reading room and the Curator provides assistance in complex, involved reference requests
particularly if there are donor or copyright restrictions involved. When reading room traffic is high (very
common during regular semesters), all three levels of staff are involved in all aspects of reference services. So,
there would be no distinction made in terms of complexity. We simply handle whichever person has not yet
been served. The level of assistance provided to our patrons is intensive as everything is staff-mediated.”
“Initial contact: reading room monitor, who refers people to appropriate curator as needed. Most people
beginning a research project (as opposed to coming in to use one or a few specific items they had already
identified) will be referred to a curator.”
“On-site patrons interact with a staff person at the front desk, complete their registration and request
material. If they request more detailed information on our holdings a professional (librarian or staff curator)
is called out. Some patrons make appointments before arriving and see a professional immediately on arrival.
Professionals can spend from 10 minutes up to several hours with a patron depending on what they need.”
“Our patrons first interact with our secretary/receptionist, who is responsible for registration procedures and
filtering inquiries. Then the librarians/professionals become directly involved with the reference interview.”
“Patron speaks with library assistant and signs in user log. After defining what he/she is looking for the patron
signs the registration form and locks away his/her belongings. Requests for items are written by patron on
call slips, which are presented to the library assistant along with the patron’s photo ID. If the library assistant
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